PRACTICE

 
June 25, 2017                                                    PRACTICE
Philippians 4:9: “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace shall be with you.”
It is interesting to note that there were some believers who had “learned and received and heard and seen” the truth of the gospel through the life and ministry of Paul. Can we say that we are currently learning, receiving, hearing, and seeing the truths of the gospel through our own study and through others whose lives are examples and expressions of the gospel? I fear that at times we may over ‘spiritualize’ the teachings of scripture, causing us to miss the practical implications and instructions of the scriptures. Also, over spiritualizing the scriptures, can, and often does, lead to of an unhealthy view of ‘waiting on God,’ where we neglect the responsibility we have in our spiritual health. In the Old Covenant, we have the accounts of creation and how God chose, and how God dealt with the nation of Israel to reveal His purposes for mankind. In the Old Covenant, we find the Law that God gave His people, but we also find that they could not keep the law, thus, sacrifices were necessary for the forgiveness of sins. The Old Covenant was a shadow of, or pointed to, the New Covenant that God would make with those who believe and receive the message of Jesus. The New Covenant is based on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the Savior of all who trust in Him. Under the New Covenant, each believer has been made new, and has been given the Holy Spirt, and it is the Holy Spirit that gives the believer the desire and the power to live according to the teachings and revelations found in the New Covenant. However, God did not make us robots, but gave us a part to play in our spiritual growth. A great portion of the scriptures in the New Covenant are actually instructions and admonitions on how we are to live as the sons and daughters of God. The New Covenant is the book of life for all who believe. Every instruction given in the scriptures are given out of the love God has for His people and they are for our good. God does not wish to rob us of life, but desires we experience life to the fullest, and He even gave us the ultimate Manuel, the Bible, on how to live as sons and daughters of God. Let us this day be sure to practice the instructions that God has given-if we do, His peace will be with us!
James 1:25: But, whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.”
Luke 11:28: “He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’”
Blessings,
Buddy
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